MA Creative Writing

The Creative Writing MA at Canterbury Christ Church offers a stimulating course with a commercial edge, taught by experienced tutors who are successful writers themselves. We believe that all writers need a core toolkit of skills, but we also understand that our students often want to specialise in an area of writing about which they’re passionate. That’s why we offer pathways that allow you to explore subgenres within Fiction, Writing for Children and Creative Non-Fiction, supported by subject specialists.

The programme is aimed at adults who are passionate about writing and want to hone their craft while developing an understanding of the publishing market and how to access it. Unlike traditional MAs, we ensure that our teaching falls outside of office hours, which allows students to learn at times that suit them. It may appeal to recent graduates who wish to specialise further in their chosen writing practice, or to adult learners who have been writing independently for a while and are now ready to take the next steps towards a writing career. We are proud to work with many mature students and aim to continue to do so in the future.

Assessment

This course is assessed solely through coursework, including creative writing portfolios, critical essays and a reading of the student’s own work. There are no examinations. Students are encouraged to develop their own assignment titles as far as possible, developing their own practice in a focused way. The final Creative Writing Portfolio allows students to dive deep into their chosen genre, presenting the opening chapters of a full-length book (fiction or non-fiction) or a collection of shorter pieces.

What can I do next?

Graduates of this course will most likely be aiming to develop their writing practice with publication in mind. We aim to give students the critical toolkit and industry understanding to present their work to editors, publishers and agents by the end of the course. Other potential careers include teaching and working in communications media or progressing on to a Creative Writing PhD.